Bristol Hippodrome
Olive Allen from Withywood vividly remembers her first trip to the Hipprodrome in the 1950s:
I was born and raised in Knowle West and the only trips out we ever had was with the local church as this was completely free, we would never have been able to go to the Hippodrome especially as a family. I did however get to go in 1951. My boss at work had two tickets to see Brigadoon and due to his wife's illness, he was unable to go, he gave the tickets to me and I took my best friend Ellen with me as both our husbands were in South Africa in the Royal Navy, we had wonderful seats and an amazing evening.
Frank Mitcham created the Bristol Hippodrome in 1912 for theatre proprietor Oswold Stoll. It is considered his most magnificent provincial theatre and a brilliant example of late Victorian grand architecture.
It was a music hall until 1932 and then a cinema. Variety returned in 1938 but tastes changed and it became outdated. After the destruction of the Prince's Theatre in Park Row during the blitz the Hipprodrome became Bristol's leading touring venue. It put on an annual pantomime and throughout the 1950s hosted large scale touring musicals. By the 1960's other touring companies like the Bolshoi Ballet, Sadler's Wells Opera and the Welsh National Opera had all played there. Despite financial ups and downs the Hippodrome has continued to bring the best names and latterly West End touring productions to Bristol.
I was born and raised in Knowle West and the only trips out we ever had was with the local church as this was completely free, we would never have been able to go to the Hippodrome especially as a family. I did however get to go in 1951. My boss at work had two tickets to see Brigadoon and due to his wife's illness, he was unable to go, he gave the tickets to me and I took my best friend Ellen with me as both our husbands were in South Africa in the Royal Navy, we had wonderful seats and an amazing evening.
Frank Mitcham created the Bristol Hippodrome in 1912 for theatre proprietor Oswold Stoll. It is considered his most magnificent provincial theatre and a brilliant example of late Victorian grand architecture.
It was a music hall until 1932 and then a cinema. Variety returned in 1938 but tastes changed and it became outdated. After the destruction of the Prince's Theatre in Park Row during the blitz the Hipprodrome became Bristol's leading touring venue. It put on an annual pantomime and throughout the 1950s hosted large scale touring musicals. By the 1960's other touring companies like the Bolshoi Ballet, Sadler's Wells Opera and the Welsh National Opera had all played there. Despite financial ups and downs the Hippodrome has continued to bring the best names and latterly West End touring productions to Bristol.